A drop of bright sun
by alkatib1
Summary: Apollo is not the most scaring or intimidating god. His children aren't really respected or taken seriously either. But the bond between Apollo and his kids is more powerful than ever, due to his time on Earth as a mortal. A new camper join the demigods just in time for a new prophecy that will once more shake their lives. Gaea is not the only Primordial that can rise.
1. Chapter 1: I am played by a flute singer

They say kids in foster care have identity crisis. Like they don't know who they are and where they belong to. True. But it's more than that. We know what we are: unwanted children, a useless burden on this Earth. No one to think of us in cold nights when the wind rumble through the half open windows. Not a person in the whole world to love and nowhere to call home. We only have each other. We should have each other.

Sometimes, in most cases, not even that much. Because, yeah, we're left alone and alone we do best. We're lost spirits always in search for something, someone, a missing piece in our lives. Don't even know what. There is this space that shall remain empty forever. It craves and it craves. Attention, tender. More and more, never enough. So lost and alone we stay. Not by choice. No. That's what they don't say.

It's so hard to believe that life will get better. What does 'better' means anyway? Well my life did change. Into worse or not I can't tell. It happened all so quick. Too quick to acknowledge it was real and not just another wierd dream.

I was out in the woods surrounding the orphanage. Breaking the rules with my odd friend. We both were out of the ordinary. Always left out. I guess that pushed us together in the first place. You see he has a birth disability forcing a limp in his walking. And myself? I am an hyper ADHD, dyslexic child. We aren't supposed to get out after bedtime. Now it was way past midnight. I shivered thinking of our punishment for staying too late. And getting so far deep in the forest. I think I forgot the way back. Maybe I was hoping Oniywould remember which path is the right one. Maybe I didn't really care.

As I said: always looking for something to fill an empty space. Well I was looking for adventures. That mostly got me and Oniy in trouble. But pretending to explore the mysterious trees and imagining we discover new medicinal or poisonous plants was so much funnier than siting between four walls and doing nothing all day long. I get bored pretty fast.

It start raining. I begun to dance and sing, twirling and catching cold drops of water on my bare arms, feet or face.

"I...I think we should head back, Yinny."

"Oh, come on! Don't be such a baby. It's just a little rain." I laughed and continue to hum a lullaby. It seemed somehow fit for the weather and landscape and all.

"But Yinny!" he kept complaining.

"But Oniy" I mimicked.

"What if a wild animal attack us?"

"Lighten up a bit, will you?"

"I can not 'lighten up'. It's too dark for me to do that!"

"No it's not! The moon is shining so bright. And so does the stars. And technically the sun too. You know... the moonlight is actually the sunlight reflecting on it and stuff. Therefore we're safe. Now enjoy yourself!" Before he could object again I grasped his arm and yanked him closer. I twirled around behind his left arm and then again behind his right one.

Nervous at first he became less and less worried. We danced our way even further away passing by long branches and leaves moved by the wind that seem to follow our lead into dance steps. I changed my tone and proceed to sing a song. The words flew out of my mouth like birds flying to their nets after a long absence. I was surprised to realize I was making up the tune, melody and lyrics on spot. Shrugging I stopped thinking about it. It's not something new or something I really mind.

However we both come to an abrupt end when we heard a flute. Whoever played in the middle of nowhere when not even the most morning creatures were awake couldn't be too far from us. I turned to where I thought I hear the music coming from. And what music! It was the most beautiful thing I ever listened to. Sad, alluring. Not firm at all. Like the player followed no rules but their own. Like a stream that doesn't follow it's course and meet the sea all by itself.

I motioned for my friend. Not bothering to check if he was or not behind me I ventured towards the sound. We were best friends and I could always rely on him for support or backing me up and feeding my crazy fantasy of going on silly fake adventures.

What happened next was too very true. In a clearing stood the singer. And he was not what I expected.

"No! No, no, no, no, no!" Oniy whispered fearfully. Panic layed in his voice weighting so heavy on me it gave me chills. He wasn't as scared as he was in this moment not even when last year we were caught fighting with evil fairies (made from dust and disgusting things we found during cleaning the attic) with the power of music and friendship ( because I was bored by the idea of 'peace and love') while we were supposed to be in class learning about manners and etiquette.

I was taken aback too to be honest. But I was more intrigued than scared. The singer had horns growing from his head. Around him giggled and smiled about a dozen of girls, their skin colour diffrent shades of green. They were beautiful in a wild way. But what freaked me out were his legs. Goat legs. Covered in dark brown fur and gloves instead of feet.

"Yinny let's go! Now!" my friend yelled at me in a small barely audible voice.

"Why? Who is that? What is that?"

"I'll explain this and more. So much more..." he sighed, almost lost in his thoughts. "When we are safe inside the house. Please, let's go."

"Is he harmful?" I didn't want to go. Not at all. I was so curious, and the music was so incredible, so, so incredible that I could listen to it for eternity.

"No...yes. Yes! Maybe...? If I'm right about you and your heritage than..." he murmured to himself. Remembering I am still there he told me after a brief moment of silence he took to think. "I don't know. What I do know is that you aren't allowed to see this. Not yet. Come home."

I rolled my light-blue eyes at him. "After the song finishes. I am telling you, this is pure talent! I wish I'd be as good as him someday."

I deliberately ignored much of what he was saying. I attributed his weirdness, well more than usual, to shock. I focused more on the song. The rest very un normal things didn't appear to be important at the time being. Mistake number one.

Dreamily I stepped closer. And I may or may have not start to sing. My voice was good, but like a brute diamond. It needed help to become elegant. One of the things I was attracted to in his music was the blunt truth he seemed to spoke with no words. Just like my voice it wasn't soft, but it was warm.

Mistake number two.

Hearing me, he stopped. Seeing me, he raised from the ground.

"Uh oh" I said only for my ears.

The half-goat singer dismissed the girls. Glaring at me they disappear between the trees. He marched forward. All while muttering "This voice. This eyes. Can it be? Yes. Yes."

I noticed the furious, hateful gleam in his eyes in time. I grabbed Oniy and start running right before the half-goat singer let out an angry scream. We had a good start in front of him but my bestie's limp was slowing us down.

"Why is he chasing us?" I yelled. He didn't answer. Instead, panting he pointed the wooden door of the orphanage that could be seen through wet leaves. I haven't been aware we ran so much. Coming to think of it I felt pretty tired. My legs begged for a pause and my chest felt like it was breaking because of my messy breathing.

"Tell me!" I yelled as he throw something at us. It was sharp. I felt warm blood on my forearm mixing with the cold sweat, dripping from the cut made by whatever he threw.

"It's complicated. I can't tell you his name. But he hates your father."

"My father? Wha...?"

"Keep running!" he said as I stumbled at a stop surprised.

"But..."

"Later!" he hissed at me.

Oniy wasn't rude, never lost his patience and always calmed me down. This side of him: scared, desperate, trying to save me, us. I never saw him so bossy before. Like he has a job to do and he would risk anything to fulfill it.

I looked behind only to see him closer. Mistake number three. I tripped over my own feet probably and I felt. Before I could come to my senses the half-goat singer hovered over me.

He roared in rage. His fist was raised and ready to hit. However the pain I was preparing for never came. I ducked and rolled over escaping through his massive form. The perks of being a small, eleven years old girl.

Oniy came to my rescue. The half-goat singer smashed him into a tree. Repeatedly. I winced and shout at him to stop. He did and fixed me with his cold, crazy look. Letting my friend falling on the ground, his body still. I didn't have time to worry about the concussion he most certainly had or about the chest that was moving slightly slowly than it normally should.

My head whirled to the left. I spit a mouthful of blood. I was pined by a tree. The rough movement took my breath away. I kicked and tried to scream. His hand around my neck kept me in place and muffled my poorly excuses for S.O.S. Tears burned my eyes. I refused to let them go. I was proud like this.

What I did, though was to lay still. Seeing that I stopped fighting he loosened his hold on me. Didn't release me as I expected. He was cautious for some reason. As if a kid like myself could damage him I huffed mentally.

Well, it turned out I could. He wasn't expected me to shove my nails into his arm. And considering that my nails were sharp from how much I had bitten them he let go of me. Finally! I saw the moon lazy passing by, leaving the sky for the sun. I gain strength. How? I have no idea. But suddenly I could fight.

I threw a punch. He was taller than me, but I aimed for his stomach not face. I hit him again and again. Wherever I could. With my feet and fists. I picked up the sharp small knife he hurt me with. And I stabbed him in the head. The half-goat singer turned to dust.

The dust was taken by the wind. The sun rose from beneath the trees leaves. I kneel beside my friend. I considered jokingly to shake him but I decided against it. I let my soaked in blood and sweat self take in the calming warmth of the sun. It's light embracing me. It's rays healing me, making the pain more favorable and giving me the strength I needed to sneak my sorry ass and my friend back inside the old looking house, at least.

I would wait untill he wakes up. I would tend his wounds as I learned from the doctors in the movies and that one time the nuns took me to the hospital – a story for another time. And then I would find out everything I want to know. After I sleep a little I thought and I layed down in the attic. My head throbbing, my body crying and a beautiful sight of a sunrise painting me wholesome dreams as the sun engulfed me with welcome warmth.


	2. Chapter 2: Happy new me?

Trust me on this one: when life wants something with you, life will get it. One way or another. So cherish normal moments, boring ones, if you wish, they don't last forever. And most certainly they are not coming back.

This being said, the story may now continue. I woke up the next morning bathing in sunlight. Dust filling the air, rays of light playing all around the attic and the calming, beautiful sound of a peaceful, silent morning. However this happy hour didn't last long. Sister Grenda's heavy steps shacked the sleep out of Oniy, who jumped to his feet almost immediately.

"What are you two doing here alone?" sister Grenda asked in her russian accent, which she couldn't get rid of in the thirty years she stayed in America.

I rolled my eyes at her suspicious look. "Admiring the sun rise." More or less, it was the truth, right?

"Don't try to fool me, child! You could watch sun rising from the windows downstairs." Grenda is a grumpy, old woman. I can't imagine someone sending her here and thinking how great of a job she will do with kids. Her head is small, the size of baby watermelon, but she has big arms and strong legs. And, not wanting to be mean, but she looks more like a MMII fighter than an actual sister. She is puffed and has more muscles than the poor, shrimped priest form the orphanage's church.

"Ye...Yes, sister, but, ummm...but then we would have waked, we would have waked everyone up when we...when we sneak..." my elbow made a harsh contact with Oniy's stomach. He stopped his nervous ranting too late though. Both thick eyebrows of sister Grenda stocked up in anger and surprise. Well, more anger than surprise to be completely honest.

"Sneak? What have you done, reckless children?" she demanded and I had to put my hand over my friend's mouth to stop him from spilling out everything that happened yesterday.

"Nothing, sister Grenda. What Oniy mean is that we came up here, to watch the sun, to make sure our fellows are not disturbed in their sleep." I talked with the sweetest voice I could muster and I gave her the most Innocent look.

Of course she did not believed me. And Oniy and I got stuck with cleaning chores for two weeks. We started today, when everyone else was out for a short break. The sisters, the kids, they were all in the garden. Only me and my friend stayed behind in the main room, cleaning the oiled windows and dusty floor. So I did what any normal person would in my situation. I took advantage of our loneliness and asked him about the last night.

"All right, Oniy. Ready to talk to me?"

He looked up at me and laughed nervously. "What? What do you mean?" he said, moving his eyes from me, to the floor and all over the place.

And of course I puffed annoyed and rolled my eyes. I put down the piece of cloth I used to scratch the dirt off the thick glass of the window and walked toward him. I sit down, right in front of Oniy, my legs crossed and my hands in front of me, stretched in my lap. He had the decency to push the bucket filled with water away, but that was it. Didn't talk, or raise his head to see me. He just stared at one spot, as if it was more important than me.

"Come on!", I exhaled "You know what I mean!"

He tensed, I could tell. His jaw clenched tight, he brought his shoulders up to frame and hide his head and the position he was staying in – knees crossed in a V hold up and in front of him.

"Hey", I whispered softly, "you can tell me. Whatever it it, was, that thing yesterday, you can tell me."

"But I shouldn't. I should not tell you, Yinny. I simply shouldn't." He shacked his head while speaking, his voice so low and fast forward I could barely make out what he said.

I didn't know what to do, or say next. Oniy has always been scared of life, as a matter of speaking, of course. He was the quite, shy kid no one ever notices, the kind of guy who is awkward and cringe, but loyal and holds his friends high on a pedestal. Right now, though, he was conflicted. Lost. Like he had a list of things to do, with rules and all, and he lost it. And now he didn't know what he is supposed to do out of this.

"Why?", I tried to keep my curiosity at bay and make this seem more like a conversation than an interrogation.

Oniy took his time to answer, for sure. Seconds passed so incredible slow that it may have been minutes actually. Who can tell? Not me.

"We have to go! Leave the orphanage for good!", he suddenly looked me in the eyes, begging me to just accept it.

I didn't.

"What? No! In this moment you scare the hell out of me, Oniy, and I am not going anywhere with you until I have some answers!"

"I never did this, Yinny! Ok? I am new to this and totally not the right person to fill you in. All I am asking, all I need you to do, is to trust me. Please?"

I was more confused than ever. And I said the truth: he did scared me. He still is scaring me. But the pleading voice and the crazy look in his eyes made me get up on my feet. Somehow I knew Onyi is trustworthy. After all, he is my best friend and maybe he acts weird, off the hook sometimes (by that I mean now, just now), but there has to be a reason for it. Behind me I heard loud steps and different noises coming from the outside and getting closer to the big door.

Onyi stood up as well and gave me a thankful look. We ran through the side entrance in the kitchen, grabbing what we could carry and off we went, in the unknown, with no money, a change of clothes or enough food.

It was kind of funny, it filled me with adrenaline and something else. Not pleasure, not happiness, but close, maybe a little more. "So, where are we going", I smiled daringly "or is it a secret too?"

He smiled back with his all ready red checks from the running. He replied, but didn't stop, surprisingly. I was sort of proud of him, or could be if not for the sketchy attitude that angered me a bit. "Long Island."

This was the beggining of my new life, one with a lot of threats and hardships. But at least I am not grounded anymore. Cheers to that, right?


End file.
